The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has lost some of its shine over the last few decades. Gone are the days when some of the game’s iconic names turned up to show off their athleticism and creativity. Players tend to shy away from the once prestigious event to avoid injury or sometimes just to get some downtime between the seasons. The league continues to look for solutions to attract top-tier talent.
On Tuesday, Zion Williamson set out his terms for what it is going to take for him to feature in the NBA Dunk Contest.
“I’ve got to do my part and make the All-Star Game. If I’m in the All-Star Game, I’ll do the dunk contest. If I’m not, I’m not doing it.”
Williams was speaking during the New Orleans Pelicans postgame press conference after 139-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
"If I'm in the All-Star game, I'll do the dunk contest." -Zion 😱🍿 pic.twitter.com/5kilIDHgCz
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 6, 2024
Fans that been following Williamson since his early days know that he is one of the most confident and fierce dunkers in the league. Despite his size, he has an incredible vertical leap and has shown style and panache when dunking during regular season games.
The 23-year-old forward was adamant, however, that the first step for him would be to be selected for the All-Star Game. His presence at next year’s event seems conditional on being invited to his third career All-Star Game.
This season, the NBA Dunk Contest failed to excite basketball fans that seemed to be tired of the same old routines. Some fresh players could revive the competition to its previous heights.
Williamson is averaging 22 points, 5.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds over 51 games this season. If he can keep up those numbers, there is no reason an All-Star Game selection isn’t in the cards in the near future.
